Vending machine with improved auger conveyor

ABSTRACT

A vending machine including an elongate vertical rotary augertype item carrier arranged in a cabinet between a pair of elongate vertical, laterally spaced, laterally inwardly opening and opposed item guiding chutes, said carrier having a central shaft and a longitudinally extending helical, spring-like, element carried by the shaft and arranged with one-half of each helical turn projecting freely into one chute, and the other half of each turn projecting freely into the other chute, said half turns occurring between vertically spaced items in the chutes, a discharge opening in the cabinet below the chutes and the lower end of the carrier, indexing drive means operable to intermittently rotate the carrier 180* and including a drive shaft connected with the carrier shaft, an indexing disc on the drive shaft, a pinion gear concentric with the disc, check means between the gear and disc with related pawls and stop shoulders spaced 180*, a latch means including a dog engageable in notches in the disc and spaced 180*, a reciprocating drive rack engaging the gear, a magnetic latch means release carried by the rack and linear actuating means connected with the rack.

[ VENDENG MACHINE WKTH IMPROVED AUGER CONVEYOR [75] Inventors: CurrieArmstrong, Los Angeles; Clarence E. Christophersen, San Clemente, bothof Calif.

[73] Assignee: Ang, Currie, Los Angeles,

Calif. by said Clarence E. Christophersen [22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1972 [211Appl. No.: 307,157

[52] US. Cl. 221/75 [51] Int. Cl. 565g 33/04 [58] Field of Search221/75; 194/2 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,139,4775/1915 Boddy 221/75 2,564,552 8/1951 Verdery, .lr 221/75 3,273,7489/1966 De Shon et a1. 221/75 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg [57]ABSACT A vending machine including an elongate vertical rotaryauger-type item carrier arranged in a cabinet between a pair of elongatevertical, laterally spaced, laterally inwardly opening and opposed itemguiding chutes, said carrier having a central shaft and a longitudinallyextending helical, spring-like, element carried by the shaft andarranged with one-half of each helical turn projecting freely into onechute, and the other half of each turn projecting freely into the otherchute, said half turns occurring between vertically spaced items in thechutes, a discharge opening in the cabinet below the chutes and thelower end of the carrier, indexing drive means operable tointermittently rotate the carrier 180 and including a drive shaftconnected with the carrier shaft, an indexing disc on the drive shaft, apinion gear concentric with the disc, check means between the gear anddisc with related pawls and stop shoulders spaced 180, a latch meansincluding a dog engageable in notches in the disc and spaced 180, areciprocating drive rack engaging the gear, a magnetic latch meansrelease carried by the rack and linear actuating means connected withthe rack.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures VENDING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED AUGERCONVEYOR This invention has to do with an improved vending machine andis more particularly concerned with a vending machine with an improvedauger-type product handling means and improved drive means for theproduct handling means.

The provision and use of elongate helical, auger-type product handlingand advancing means in coinoperated vending machines is old in the art.The principal element or part in such means is an elongate rotatableauger comprising a central shaft with a continuous, radially outwardlyprojecting helical web or thread extending longitudinally thereabout.Such augers or auger-like elements are very costly to make.

In practice, where auger-type elements have been used in vendingmachines to advance products to be dispensed, the augers have generallybeen arranged substantially horizontally above a product supportingsurface or within a product carrying channel and in such a manner thatupon intermittent rotation of the augers, the webs or threads thereof,engaging the products, screw or advance the products longitudinally ofthe axis of the auger toward a discharge opening or chute related to anend of the auger.

The use of such augers in a vertical or upright condition and such thatthe helical threads or webs are utilized to support and advance theproducts being han dled has, as practiced by the prior art, proven to beless than satisfactory due to the tendency of the products to slidedownwardly on the helical, inclined supporting surfaces of the threadsand due to the tendency for the threads to carry and rotate or turn theproducts about the axis of the auger when it is rotated and in such amanner that effective, controlled advancing of the products is notassured.

Still further, as practiced by the prior art, when vertical auger-typefeed or product advancing means have been employed, as noted above, theaugers have, as a general rule, been employed to support a single columnof goods or products since to carry more increases the weight of theauger and products to an extent that the assembly is excessively heavyto rotate and/or to such an extent that when rotated at a reasonable andeffective speed, so much inertia is created that the structure cannot beeffectively or properly stopped and indexed.

It is an object and feature of my invention to provide a novel andimproved elongate auger-type product supporting and advancing element orunit which is light weight, simple and extremely easy and economical tomanufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new auger-type productsupporting and advancing element which includes an elongate helicallyformed coil of wire or rod stock, in the nature of a helical spring, andhaving a central longitudinal support or drive shaft extending freelylongitudinally therethrough and with which radially inwardly turned endsof the coil are secured.

Another object and feature of my invention is to provide a vendingmachine with an improved auger-type feed and support element of thecharacter referred to above arranged on a vertical axis within a cabinetand having two, spaced, opposing product guides positioned adjacent andextending longitudinally of opposite sides of the coil and in a commonplane with the shaft of said element whereby the guides and shaftcooperate to guide and separate two vertical rows of products in thecabinet occurring at opposite sides of said plane and such that one-halfof one turn of the coil projects to support the products adjacent thetop side thereof.

In the prior art, indexing type drive means have been provided tointermittently operate or rotate auger-type product handling members andthe like. Those drive means, which are arranged between and connectedwith said members and related coin released actuators, have beencomplicated and costly to make and maintain.

An object and feature of my invention is to provide novel, improved,simple and economical to manufacture index-type drive means engageablewith and between the auger-type member and a coin released actuator, inmy novel vending machine.

A principal object of the instant invention is to provide a simple,practical and trouble-free vending machine which is compact, lightweight and inexpensive whereby the cost of acquiring, servicing andmaintain ing such machines can be effectively reduced to an extent wherepersons who presently cannot afford to enter into the business ofdistributing and servicing such machines can or will be better able todo so.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The foregoing objects and features of myinvention will be fully understood from the following detaileddescription of a typical preferred form and application of my invention,throughout which description reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, detailed sectional view taken as indicated byline 22 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 33 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 44 on FIG. 2and shown on my new drive means;

FIG. 5 is a view taken as indicated by line 55 on FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of a part of the drive means taken substantially asindicated byline 66 on FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view taken as indicated by line 7-7 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view of a part of the drive means taken substantially asindicated by line 8--8 on FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a view taken as indicated by line 99 on FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a view of a part of the drive means taken substantially asindicated by line 10-10 on FIG. 5; and

FIG. 11 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 11-11 on FIG.10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, the machine thatI provide includes a cabinet C comprising an upper, elongate, vertical,column-like storage section or portion M), an intermediate, dischargeportion Ill and a lower coin box portion 12. The storage portion 10 isestablished of sheet metal and is characterized by a top wall 14, rearwall 15, side walls 16 and an open front closed by a cover plate 17. Theplate 17 is shown provided with a viewing or display window 18 and isreleasably secured in covering relationship over the open front of thesection by a key-operated locking device 19.

The section 10 is rectangular in cross-section and is slightly greaterin lateral extent than twice the lateral extent of the product items Pwhich are to be dispensed and is slightly greater in depth, fore andaft, than the longitudinal extent of the items P.

The product items P can be rigid products of uniform size and shape,such as candy bars or can be measured quantities of loose or grandularproducts, such as nuts or soap powder in envelopes or boxes of desiredconfigurations.

The interior of the section 10 is divided intermediate its opposite sidewalls 16 by elongate vertical dividers 20 and 21 on the rear wall andcover plates 17. The divider on the rear wall is established by anelongate vertical angle section with one flange 22 fixed to the rearwall as by spot welding and its other flange 23 projecting forwardlyfrom the rear wall on the central vertical plane of the section 10. Thedivider 21 can be established of an angle section, or a rod, or acombination of angle section and length of rod. In FIG. 2 of thedrawings, 1 have shown the upper portion of the divider 21 establishedby a rearwardly projecting vertical flange 24 of an angle section fixedto the rear surface of the cover and have shown the lower portionthereof established by a vertical rod 25 depending and continuingdownwardly from the rear edge of the flange 24, by or past the window inthe cover plate and having a forwardly turned lower end fixed to thecover plate.

The front and rear, vertical, central dividers 20 and 21 cooperate withthe cover plate and the rear and side walls of the section 10 to definetwo adjacent, laterlly inwardly opening, elongate, vertical, productreceiving cannels, or chutes L and R at the left and right hand sides ofthe section 10.

The dividers and channels terminate at the lower end of the section 10which section is open and communicates directly with the dischargeportion or section 11 of the housing. The discharge portion 1 1 is aforwardly opening boxlike portion or section having a rear wall 26 whichis integral with and extends downwardly from the lower end of the wall15 of section 10 and a bottom wall 27. The bottom wall has a rearwardlyand upwardly inclined rear ramp-like portion 27' terminating forward ofthe shaft and the rear wall 26 and is provided with a forwardlyprojecting extension 28 with an upwardly turned retaining lip 28' at itsforward end, which extension defines a flat upwardly disposed manuallyaccessible product receiving and supporting tray.

The portion 11 further includes side walls 29 which are formedintegrally with the side walls of the section 10 and which extenddownwardly and a limited predetermined distance forward from the section10 and a flat horizontal top wall 30 projecting forwardly from the lowerend of the section 10.

The ramp portion 27 of the wall 27 is inclined so that items P droppedinto the section 11 from the section 10 are deflected and directedforwardly through the section 11 to the open front thereof and to thetray 28 for manual engagement.

The open front portion of the portion 11 projects a sufficient distanceforward from the section 10 to establish a tunnel-like portion whichprevents access through the section 11 into the section 10, as mightotherwise be attempted for the purpose of improperly extracting theproducts P from the section 10.

Within the upper rear portion of section 11 is a flat, normallyhorizontally disposed door 29, underlying the lower end of section 10and pivotally mounted across the rear of the cabinet to swing downwardlyinto stopped alignment with the portion 27' of the bottom wall. The door29 is yieldingly maintained in its normal horizontal position by abalance spring 29', which spring yields to the forces exerted into thedoor by an item P deposited thereon. The door 29 is slotted toaccommodate the shaft 40 and serves as a sifting means to prevent theftof the items P through the section 11.

In practice, the spring 29' is such that the door will swing down oropen when a load of about one ounce is applied thereto.

The lower coin box section 12 of the cabinet C is a simple, forwardlyopening sheet metal box with a top wall 30 underlying and suitably fixedto the bottom wall 26 of the section 11, a rear wall 31, side walls 32and a bottom wall 33. The open front of the section 12 is closed by afront cover 34 which is releasably locked in place by a suitablekey-operated locking device 35. The section 12 is such that it can serveas the base support for the machine.

It is to be understood that the cabinet C illustrated and describedabove is only typical of one type or class of cabinet that can beemployed in carrying out my invention.

The machine that I provide next includes an elongate vertical productsupport or carrier S, comprising an elongate, vertical central shaft 40with upper and lower ends and an elongate vertical, helical supportelement 41 arranged concentric about the shaft, between the ends thereofand having radially inwardly turned upper and lower ends 42 and 43 fixedto the shaft, as by weld- The carrier S is arranged in the section 10with the shaft thereof on the central vertical axis of the section 10.

The upper end of the shaft is rotatably engaged in a simple bearingmeans 44 fixed to the top wall 14 of the section 10.

The lower portion of the shaft extends downwardly from the section 10into the section 11 and is provided with a coupling means part 45 at itslower end to connect with a drive shaft of a drive means D, the detailsof which will hereinafter be described.

The lower end of the helical support element 41 terminates in thesection 10 a short distance above the lower ends of the dividers 20 and21. The top of said element terminates at or near the upper ends of saiddividers.

The diametric extent of the element 41 is such that its foremost andrearmost sides occurring in closer,

running clearance with the vertical edges of the divid-- ers 20 and 21and such that the lateral opposite halves or side portions thereofproject freely into the chutes L and R and into close proximity to theside walls of the section 10.

The pitch of the element 41 is such that the vertical distance betweenadjacent turns thereof is sufficiently great to freely accommodate aproduct item P therebetween; that is, the vertical spacing of theadjacent turns is greater than the vertical extent of one of the itemsP.

The shaft 40 of the carrier S is on the same plane as the dividers 20and 21 and cooperates therewith to further define the chutes L and R andto engage and guide the product items.

One half of each turn of the element 41 projecting into one of thechutes L and R projects between adjacent product items P in a verticalrow of product items P in that chute to separate said items and toslidably engage and support the uppermost of said adjacent items.

The lateral outer sides of the items P opposing the side walls 16 of thecabinet section are guided and restrained from lateral outwarddisplacement and/or turning thereby, the front and rear ends of theitems P opposing the cover plate or front wall 17 and the rear wall ofthe section 10 of the cabinet are guided and held against fore and aftdisplacement and/or turning thereby and the laterally inwardly disposedsides of items P are opposed, at their ends, by the guides 20 and 21 andat their central portions by the shaft 40 and are guided and restrainedagainst lateral inward displacement and/or turning thereby.

The guiding and restraining against displacement and/or turning affordedby the guides 20 and 21 and by the shaft 40 is most important, since asthe element S is rotated, it tends to drag and carry the items with itand in such a manner that the items become displaced laterallyinwardlyof the chutes and of the element S. If the products P are softpackages, such as envelopes of nuts or laundry soap, the presence of theshaft 40, as a guide member to engage the central portions of the innersides of the items becomes most important, since without such centralsupport and guidance, the dragging action of the element S on and withsuch soft packages, when the element is rotated, bends and/or distortsthe packages in such a manner that their ends are drawn from engagementwith the guides 20 and 21 and are caused to be displaced from withintheir related chutes L and R. 1

The machine is loaded with the product items P by removing the coverplate 17 to provide access to the interior of the cabinet section 10 andthe front of the chutes L and R by inserting an item P between eachadjacent turn of the element S occurring in each chute L and R. Whenthus loaded, the cover plate 17 is replaced.

The lower end of the support member 41 and the inwardly turned portion43 thereon normally occur on the central vertical plane of the cabinet,as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

In operation, the element S is rotated 180, by means of the drive meansD, each time an item is to be dispensed. The element S is rotated in adirection which causes it to screw or advance the items P downwardly intheir related chutes and toward the lower end of the helical supportmembers 41 of the element. It will be apparent that when the member 41is rotatably advanced 180, the lowermost item P in the two adjacentchutes is advanced downwardly in its related chute to below the lasthalf turn of the member 41 and out of engagement with said member,whereupon it is unsupported and drops freely from section 10, onto door29, then down and out of the section 11 of the cabinet.

The drive means D that I provide is a novel indexing type of drive meansrelated to the element S and a coincontrolled actuator A and is adaptedto effect selective intermittent 180 rotation of the element S so as toeffect the advance and dispensing of the items P, one at a time.

The means D includes a frame F established by the top wall 30 of thecabinet section 12 and a sheet metal part fixed to the lower or bottomsurface of the top wall 30 of the coin box section 12 of the cabinetC,-an elongate vertical drive shaft 51 on an axis concentric with theaxis of the drive shaft 40 of the element S and rotatably carried by asuitable bearing 52 carried in an opening in the wall 30. The upper endof the shaft 51 projects upwardly through an opening in the bottom wall27 of the cabinet section 11 and establishes driving engagement with thecoupling part or member 45 on the lower end of the shaft 40. The member45 is shown as a simple sleeve part fixed to the shaft 40 and slidablyreceiving the shaft 51. The member 45 and shaft 51 are fixed in drivingengagement by a through pin 53, substantially as shown.

It is to be understood that the coupling means between the shafts 40 and51 can vary widely in practice, without affecting the novelty of myinvention.

The lower end of the shaft 51 projects below the wall 30 and carries anindexing disc 55. Disc 55, as clearly shown in F165. 5, 6 and 7 of thedrawings is a simple disc-shaped part with a flat bottom surface 56 andis suitably fixed on the shaft 51 by a pin 57. The disc is provided witha pair of substantially downwardly disposed, circumferentially extendingand axially upwardly inclined notches 58 terminating to define andestablish a pair of straight, radially extending vertical stop shoulders59 in the surface 56 at diametrically opposite sides of the axis of thedisc and shaft 51, or, spaced 180 apart. The shoulders 59 are disposedopposite the direction of rotation of the disc and shafts 51 and 40.

The disc is further provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced,radially outwardly opening, vertical indexing notches'60 andcircumferentially disposed stop faces 61 in its outer periphery or side.The notches and faces 60 and 61 are spaced 180. The notches 60 aresubstantially square notches with flat radially outwardly disposedvertically extending bottoms and substantially radially extending,vertical circumferentially disposed side surfaces. Thestop faces 61 aredefined by the radial outer portions of the side surfaces of the notches60 disposed circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the discand shaft 51 and 40, which portions of the noted sides of the notchesproject radially outwardly beyond the other side surfaces of thenotches. This relationship of parts is effected by providing thequadrant portions of the outer side of the disc, v

forward or in advance of the notches with radially inwardly inclined,substantially convolutely curved, ramp surfaces 62.

The indexing notches and stop surfaces described above are elementsand/or parts of an indexing means I that will be described in furtherdetail in the following.

The means D next includes an elongate, vertical spindle 65 arranged inspaced relationship below the shaft 51; in axial alignment therewith andcarried by the part or portion 50 of the frame F, a drive gear 66rotatably carried by the spindle, a driver plate 67 carried by the gearand engageable with the disc and a reciprocal rack 68 carried by theframe and engaging the gear.

The spindle 65 is established by a collar-stud like part carried by theframe member or part 50.

The gear 66 is a flat, disc-shaped spur-gear with a central verticalopening 70 in which the spindle is rotatably engaged. The gear isprovided with a pair of circumferentially and radially outwardly spacedupwardly projecting pins 71 at its flat top surface 72.-

The driver plate 67 is a thin flat disc of spring metal with flat topand bottom surfaces 75 and 76, a pair of radially and circumferentiallyspaced pin receiving openings 77 and a pair of elongate,circumferentially and upwardly inclined, resilient, pawls 78 withstraight radially extending edges 79.

The plate 67 is engaged adjacent the top surface 72 of the gear 66 withthe pins 71 on the gear engaged in the opening 77 to establish drivingengagement therein. The top side of the plate opposes the bottom surfaceof the disc. The spring pawls 78 yieldingly bear on the bottom side ofthe disc and normally enter the recess 58 in the disc with their edges79 in stopped driving engagement with the stop shoulders 59 of the disc.

The rack 68 is an elongate horizontally disposed member with front andrear ends and is slidably carried in a'guide 80 to occur in a commonplane with the gear and in meshed driving engagement with the gear, atone side thereof.

The rack is normally positioned with its rear side portion engaged withthe gear and with its front portion projecting forwardly from the gear.

The rear end of the rack is provided with a drive post 81 which, in thecase illustrated, depends from the rack, below the frame F.

The rear end of an elongate, tension, return spring 82 is secured to thepost 81 by a suitable laterally outwardly projecting hook 83. The frontend of the return spring 82 is fixed to an adjacent side of the frame.In the case illustrated, the front end of the spring is fixed oranchored to a depending anchor post 84 established by the shank of ascrew fastener employed to secure the frame part 50 to the wall 30.

The indexing means I referred to and partially described above, includesan elongate, horizontal channel shaped carrier arm 85 fixed to the post81 and projecting laterally therefrom on a common plane with the disc 55and in spaced relationship from the rear side of said disc, an elongatepermanent magnet M engaged in the channel shaped arm 85 to occur at andproject forwardly therefrom, an elongate, horizontal, normally laterallyextending latch arm 90 adjacent the rear end of the frame, on a commonplane with the arm 87 and having a free end occurring between the discand the magnet M and an outer end pivotally mounted to the wall 30, asat 91, laterally outward of the frame part 50 and opposite that side ofthe gear which is engaged by the rack. The latch arm 90 carries aforwardly projecting dog 92 which normally stops against a stop surface61 and seats in a notch 60 of the disc 55, to stop the disc inpredetermined rotative position.

Finally, the means I includes an elongate horizontal tension spring 93with a front end connected with the frame F, as at 94 and a rear endconnected with the arm 90, as at 95. The spring 93 normally yieldinglyholds the free end of the arm forward with the dog 92 engaged in itsrelated notch 60 in the disc 55.

The magnet M normally establishes flat contact with the arm 90 toyieldingly and reasonably hold the arms together, as shown in FIG. 4 ofthe drawings.

When the drive means is operated to rotate the shafts 51 and 40, 180 therack is urged or moved rearwardly to the position shown in dotted linesin FIG. 4 of the drawings. As such movement is commenced, the magent Mrelated to the rack in fixed position, is moved rearwardly therewith andpulls the free end of the arm 90 rearwardly to approximately theposition shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4 of the drawings, disengagingthe dog 92 from the notch in the disc 55 and releasing the disc for freerotation.

As the arm swings rearwardly in angular relationship with the magnet Mand the tension of the spring 93 increases to an extent that themagnetic hold between the arm 90and magnet M is broken.

When the magnet releases the arm 90, the spring 93 returns the free endof the arm 90 forwardly and the dog into engagement with the opposingside of the disc.

As the rack continues to move rearwardly and the disc is rotated, thenext to be advanced stop surface 61 of the disc is brought in stoppedengagement with the dog 92 and the dog seat in the related notch 60,stopping the disc and driving operation of the means D.

Subsequent to the above and upon release or disengagement of theactuating means employed to move the rack, the rack is returnedforwardly to the normal position by the spring 82. As the rack movesforwardly, the gear and disc are driven in a reverse direction and thespring pawls 78 yieldingly ride out of engagement with the recess 58 andshoulders 79 of the disc with which they were previously related andthence into engagementwith the other of said recesses and adjacent theshoulder thereof, to a normal position where the means D is ready forrecycling.

The actuating means for the drive means can vary widely in form and canengage the forward end of the rack or a part fixed thereto. As shown, itengages a part on the rear end of the rack.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the actuating means A for thedrive means D is a standard, manually operable, coin-released bar-typeactuator and includes an elongate, fiat, actuating bar 96 and a carrier97 slidably carrying the bar 96. The carrier 97 is fixed in an openingin the front cover of the coin box section 12 of the cabinet. The barhas a front portion normally projecting forwardly from the carrier 97and the cabinet and a rear portion which projects between the means D.The rear end of the bar is provided with an upwardly projecting tab 98which engages the front side of the depending post 81 on the rack 68 ofthe means D. The forward end of the bar 96 has an upwardly turnedthumb-engaging drive pad 99.

In addition to the above, the means A includes spring means 100 tonormally yieldingly urge and hold the bar forward, coin receiving meansin the bar (not shown) and coin release latching means in and betweenthe bar and the carrier (not shown) and operable to permit completerearward shifting of the bar relative to the carrier only when a propercoin is related to the coin.

- receiving means in the bar and to deposit the coin in the coin boxwhen the bar is shifted completely rearwardly.

The means A is a standard type and/or class of device well known tothose skilled in the art. Accordingly, further detailed illustration anddescription thereof is not necessary and will be dispensed with.

It will be apparent that with the means A provided, upon inserting acoin therein and manually urging the bar 96 thereof rearwardly, the rackof means D is urged rearwardly to effect operation of the means D andthe remainder of my machine to effect the dispensing of one of the itemsP engaged therein.

It is an important and notable feature of this invention that theindexing means of the drive means D serves to normally lock the shaft 40against rotation so that the shaft cannot be improperly rotated by meansof a tool engaged therewith, through the open front of section 1 1 ofthe cabinet and for the purpose of stealing items from the machine.

It will be further apparent that the machine that I provide is a simpleconstruction that can be easily, quickly and economically produced andis a rugged, durable, easy to service and maintain machine.

Having described one typical preferred form and embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details hereinset forth but wish to reserve to myself any modifications and variationsthat ordinarily appear to those skilled in the art and which fall withinthe scope of the following claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A vending machine including a cabinet defining a pair of opposing,vertical, item receiving and guiding chutes, a discharge opening in thecabinet communicating with the lower ends of the chutes, an elongatevertical auger-type item carrier between the chutes with verticallyspaced portions extending into the chutes and between vertically stockeditems therein, a coin release actuator carried by the cabinet and anindexing drive means carried with and between one end of the carrier andthe actuator and operable to rotate the carrier one-half revolutionabout its vertical axis each time the actuator is operated, said drivemeans includes a frame carried by the cabinet, a drive shaft rotatablycarried by the frame and extending to of the carrier, an indexing discfixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardly openingnotches spaced l80 and a pair of axially and circumferentially disposedstop shoulders at one end and spaced 180, a drive plate adjacent saidone end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentially and axiallyprojecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of the disc andwith said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried by the frameand having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, a bearingsupport on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, a piniongear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagement with theplate, an elongate reciprocable drive rack carried by the frame andengaged with the gear,

spring means yieldingly urging the rack axially to a normal position,latch release means including a magnet carried by the rack engaging thelatch arm when the rack is in its normal position and adapted to firstmove the arm away from the disc and to then release the arm when therack is moved from its normal position to an actuated position and meansconnecting the actuator with the rack.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said item carrier includesan elongate vertical central shaft, an elongate helical spring-likesupport element in radial spaced concentric relationship about andextending longitudinally between the ends of the shaft and havingradially inwardly projecting end portions fixed on the shaft, one halfof each turn of said member projecting laterally outwardly and freelyinto one chute and the half of each turn of said member projectinglaterally outwardly and freely into the other chute.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 including connecting means at andbetween one end of the carrier shaft and the drive shaft and bearingmeans in the cabinet rotatably supporting the other end of the carriershaft.

4. An indexing drive means including a support frame, a drive shaftrotatably carried by the frame and having a drive end portion projectingtherefrom, an indexing disc fixed to the drive shaft and having a pairof radially outwardly opening notches spaced and a pair of axially andcircumferentially disposed stop shoulders at one end and spaced 180, adrive plate adjacent said one end of the disc and having a pair ofcircumferentially and axially projecting resilient pawls engageable onsaid one end of the disc and with said stop shoulders, a spring loadedlatch arm carried by the frame and having a dog normally engaged in oneof said notches, a bearing support on the frame adjacent and concentricwith the plate, a pinion gear carried by the bearing support and indriving engagement with the plate, an elongate reciprocable rack carriedby the frame and engaged with the gear, spring means yieldingly urgingthe rack axially to a normal position, latch release means including amagnet carried by the rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is inits normal position and adapted to first move the arm away from the discand to then release the arm when the rack is moved from its normalposition to an actuated position, and means on the rack to connect withlinear actuating means for the drive means.

1. A vending machine including a cabinet defining a pair of opposing,vertical, item receiving and guiding chutes, a discharge opening in thecabinet communicating with the lower ends of the chutes, an elongatevertical auger-type item carrier between the chutes with verticallyspaced portions extending into the chutes and between vertically stockeditems therein, a coin release actuator carried by the cabinet and anindexing drive means carried with and between one end of the carrier andthe actuator and operable to rotate the carrier one-half revolutionabout its vertical axis each time the actuator is operated, said drivemeans includes a frame carried by the cabinet, a drive shaft rotatablycarried by the frame and extending to of the carrier, an indexing discfixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardly openingnotches spaced 180* and a pair of axially and circumferentially disposedstop shoulders at one end and spaced 180*, a drive plate adjacent saidone end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentially and axiallyprojecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of the disc andwith said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried by the frameand having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, a bearingsupport on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, a piniongear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagement with theplate, an elongate reciprocable drive rack carried by the frame andengaged with the gear, spring means yieldingly urging the rack axiallyto a normal position, latch release means including a magnet carried bythe rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is in its normal positionand adapted to first move the arm away from the disc and to then releasethe arm when the rack is moved from its normal position to an actuatedposition and means connecting the actuator with the rack.
 2. A machineas set forth in claim 1 wherein said item carrier includes an elongatevertical central shaft, an elongate helical spring-like support elementin radial spaced concentric relationship about and extendinglongitudinally between the ends of the shaft and having radiallyinwardly projecting end portions fixed on the shaft, one half of eachturn of said member projecting laterally outwardly and freely into onEchute and the half of each turn of said member projecting laterallyoutwardly and freely into the other chute.
 3. A machine as set forth inclaim 1 including connecting means at and between one end of the carriershaft and the drive shaft and bearing means in the cabinet rotatablysupporting the other end of the carrier shaft.
 4. An indexing drivemeans including a support frame, a drive shaft rotatably carried by theframe and having a drive end portion projecting therefrom, an indexingdisc fixed to the drive shaft and having a pair of radially outwardlyopening notches spaced 180* and a pair of axially and circumferentiallydisposed stop shoulders at one end and spaced 180*, a drive plateadjacent said one end of the disc and having a pair of circumferentiallyand axially projecting resilient pawls engageable on said one end of thedisc and with said stop shoulders, a spring loaded latch arm carried bythe frame and having a dog normally engaged in one of said notches, abearing support on the frame adjacent and concentric with the plate, apinion gear carried by the bearing support and in driving engagementwith the plate, an elongate reciprocable rack carried by the frame andengaged with the gear, spring means yieldingly urging the rack axiallyto a normal position, latch release means including a magnet carried bythe rack engaging the latch arm when the rack is in its normal positionand adapted to first move the arm away from the disc and to then releasethe arm when the rack is moved from its normal position to an actuatedposition, and means on the rack to connect with linear actuating meansfor the drive means.